1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a downhole oil and gas tool having an erosion resistant layer disposed thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In standard abrasive perforating operations a hard material such as sand is typically used as an abrasive media which is mixed into a liquid slurry and pumped through a workstring from the surface to a downhole nozzle which creates a high-velocity jet. The high-velocity jet accelerates the particles in the slurry so that when they impact a target (such as casing or formation) erosion is created at the impingement surface. This is often used to create perforation tunnels through casing and out into the formation to allow fluid to pumped into the formation (such as fracking), or to allow hydrocarbon production from the reservoir into the casing.
In typical casing perforating operations, the abrasive material is pumped through the tubing exiting downhole through a jet and into the annulus between the supply tubular and the casing or other outer tubular. The high-velocity jet impinges on the casing ID and erodes a hole in the casing. A portion of the abrasive slurry from the jet is deflected at various angles back toward the perforator tool. This deflected fluid often causes significant erosion on the surface of the perforator tool. This erosion can severely damage the perforator tool causing the need for replacement or even failure of the perforator tool.
During formation fracturing operations the fluid flowing back from the formation into the wellbore typically carries some of the proppant (such as sand, ceramic particles, etc.) which was pumped into the formation during fracturing of the zone. Nearly all typically used types of proppants are abrasive in nature. When fluid flows back out of the formation during equalization of the formation after pressure is reduced after fracturing, the proppant often impacts the perforating tool with high velocity causing erosive damage. This damage can be very severe sometimes even cutting the perforator tool in half.
Accordingly, there is a need for a perforator that can withstand erosion during perforating and fracking operations.